Giuseppe Martinelli

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameGiuseppe•Martinelli
Used nameGiuseppe•Martinelli
Nick/petnamesMartino
Born11 March 1955 in Rovato, Brescia (ITA)
Measurements174 cm / 74 kg
AffiliationsGruppo Sportivo Pezzini, Morbegno (ITA)
NOC Italy
Medals OG
Gold 0
Silver 1
Bronze 0
Total 1

Biography

Cyclist Giuseppe Martinelli was an excellent sprinter and won the silver medal in the road race at the Montréal Olympics. He was expected to go on to greater things after that performance but those expectations did not materialize as an amateur. He turned professional with the Jolljceramica team in 1977 and immediately attracted attention by winning a stage in the Giro de Sicilia. Following that, Martinelli won stages in the Giro d’Italia at Piediluco (1978), Treviso (1979), and Gatteo a Mare (1980). He also won the Vinarós stage of the Vuelta a España in 1980, beating Ireland’s Sean Kelly in the sprint. Martinelli also won the Milano-Torino semi-classic in 1981.

After an eight-year professional career, Martinelli’s experience paved the way for him to become a sports director. He took over the helm of the Mercatone Uno team and, during a five-year spell, enjoyed success in both the 1998 Giro d’Italia and Tour de France thanks to Marco Pantani, “Il Pirata”.

Martinelli then enjoyed more Giro success after taking charge of the Saeco squad when Gilberto Simoni won the race in 2002 and 2003, and Damiano Cunego won in 2004. Martinelli then moved to Lampre, and in 2009 had an unsuccessful time with team Aeronautica Militare-Amica Chips. Further successes followed, however, after becoming a sporting director of the Astana Qazaqstan team in 2010 when, alongside general manager Aleksandr Vinokurov, they won two Giros and a Tour de France with Vincenzo Nibali, and a Vuelta a España with Fabio Aru.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1976 Summer Olympics Cycling Road (Cycling) ITA Giuseppe Martinelli
Road Race, Individual, Men (Olympic) 2 Silver